Newsletter

EDITORIAL: Jail escape: One too many

THIS IS a “first” that Chatham County didn’t want to have — the first successful escape from the Chatham County jail in more than 20 years.

But the escapee didn’t flee the old-fashioned way by going over the wall or under the fence early last Thursday night. Instead, he apparently did it by exploiting technology — something Sheriff Al St. Lawrence said Monday has been fixed.

It’s a good thing the escapee wasn’t someone charged with a violent crime, like murder or sexual assault. Then the situation might be more dire. Still, any escape is one too many.

Authorities said a 30-year-old inmate, Ricardo Sean Chambers, who was behind bars on charges of theft by receiving stolen property and possession of controlled substance, somehow obtained an identification wristband from another inmate who was about to be released. Using personal information about that inmate, Chambers was able to pass through the discharge procedures and exit the facility off Chatham Parkway.

After Thursday’s escape, the sheriff and his command staff began a full review of the jail’s discharge procedures to prevent other inmates from using the same method to escape. Without going into too many details, Chambers was able to exploit an apparent glitch in the system.

“We’ve got it straighted out now,” the sheriff said, which is reassuring.

Up until last week, the jail has been almost escape-proof. The last escape occurred shortly after the facility opened in 1989, during a period when all the security systems weren’t in place.

More recently, during the construction of the new jail next to the current facililty, authorities uncovered something disturbing — an underground, concrete barrier that’s supposed to prevent inmates from digging their way out was never installed. The public was never informed. Fortunately, inmates never knew about it either.

Called a “rat wall,” the barrier was supposed to extend two feet under the fence when the jail was built more than two decades ago. It replaced a badly designed, problematic jail next to the Montgomery Street Courthouse.

“They should have inspected it,” St. Lawrence said Monday. That’s obvious.

Let’s hope, however, that county officials have demanded a refund or some form of compensation from the original builder. If taxpayers paid for something, then they should receive it.

Fortunately, a rat wall is now in place. Inmates would have a tough time digging their way out or trying to climb over the razor wire, which would slice anyone who attempted it to pieces. However, some inmates have plenty of time on their hands and no doubt are looking for a way out — as was the case in 1978, when four inmates escaped from the third floor of the four-story jail on Montgomery Street. They did it by sawing through steel screening and hollow metal bars with a hacksaw, then going down the side of the building on bed sheets that they tied together.

Two of the inmates were accused of rape and murder. Both were later recaptured.

Let’s hope the same fate awaits Chambers.

He may not be a violent offender, but he was in jail for a reason. He now can add another charge to his list of accusations — escape. That one will stick.